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Oct 24, 2013

CA Department of Corrections Faces Sexual Harassment Suit

Sexual harassment is one of the many issues
that a lot of employees in California face. Basically, this form of sex
discrimination usually involves a physical, verbal, or visual action towards an
employee that is sexual in nature. As it is, sexual harassment, like any other
forms of employment discrimination, is prohibited under various federal and
state employment and labor laws such as the California Fair Employment and
Housing Act (FEHA).

Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a sexual
harassment lawsuit against the California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation (CDCR) based on alleged discrimination on the basis of sex. The
complaint was originally brought up to the state Department of Fair Employment
and Housing (DFEH), which then referred the case to the Los Angeles office of
the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC). It initially conducted an investigation with regard to the claims, and
then referred the case to the U.S. Department of Justice thereafter.

Case files revealed that Joe B. Cummings, a
male cook with the CDCR, was sexually harassed by a female co-worker for over a
year until 2009, when he was placed on leave for unrelated reasons. The lawsuit
asserted that Cummings was frequently subjected to “unwanted and unwelcomed
sexual advances,” which included inappropriate touching and profane comments.

In fact, in August 2008, the female co-worker
shoved her hand down his pants and then hit him on the head. According to the
U.S. Department of Justice, the plaintiff Cummings aired his complaint with his
supervisors a lot of times, but the latter failed to address it.

The CDCR’s failure to prevent the harassment
from happening despite the aggrieved employee’s complaint is a violation of
Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes it illegal for
employers to discriminate against employees on the basis of sex, race, religion,
color, and nation of origin.

Meanwhile, a Los Angeles
employment lawyer commented on the case, saying that sexual
harassment does not always involve male harassers. Such form of discrimination
of sex affects both sexes. The attorney also advised employees to seek a
reputable legal counsel if they have been subjected to any kind of workplace
bias.

Wayne Morrise is a passionate legal writer. I focused on writing about employment law-related contents in California. Aspiring novelist. If you are looking for more legal contents regarding employment, then you may refer to this site, http://www.employmentattorneyservices.com/faq